Convertible chair



Dec. 15, w DRUYUN v CONVERTIBLE CHAIR Filed June 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

I J 7/ Jr 1 I 51 6 24 94 28 83 I 65 d7 INVENTOR WOLF DRUYUN ATTORNEYS Dec. 15, 1931. w. DRUYUN CONVERTIBLE CHAIR Filed June 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

FIG.

INVENTOR WOLF DRUYUN ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES v woLF'nnuYUiv, oF Los linear/11s, cainrronnrli CONVERTIBLE cniam v Application filed June 12, 1929. serial 1%. 370,186; r i

This invention relates to convertible chairs, and more especially to that type of converti ble chairs in which'portionsthereof'may be moved to different positions for the purpose of adapting the chair in difierent ways.

An object of the invention is the provision of a convertible chair which is adaptable for use optionally as a conventional chair, or in extended relation, wherein the chair may be 19 employed as a couch or bed.

A further object is the provision of an ar ticle of furniture of the general class described, which, when arranged as a chair, has all the appearance of being a conventional upholstered arm chair.

Another object is the provision of a convertible chair as described, in which the major support therefor, is in the form of'opposed side members. which are secured'in supporting position in sucha manner that they may readily be removed,'and wherein the back is mounted in such a manner that it may be folded against the under side of the seat, with the result that the entire chair 'may be disassembled into three very compact units for shipping or storing.

A further object is the provision of an arti cle of furniture as described, in which theparts are so proportioned and arranged that when extended as a bed or couch, it is of sufficient length to permit a person of ordinary stature torecline thereon in comfort.

A further object is the provision of a novel construction of convertible chair having the above enumerated characteristics whereby altering the respective portions of thechair from extended position to folded position,

and vice versa, may be effected with the mini mum of effort andin a relatively short space 0 of time.

The invention possesses other objects, and

advantageous features, some of which, with those enumerated, will be set forthin 'the following description of the inventions gparticular embodiment which is illustrated in th drawin s accom an in and formin a 8 b p y b V V g stretched taut across the lower edges of the part of the specification.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 isa longitudinal, vertical, medial that position in which the article sectional view of a chair embodying the prin-' ciples of my invention, with the adjustable. I

portions thereof extended to that position in. which the article of furniture may be em-' ployed as a bed or couch; J a I Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig: 1, but showing the portions of the'device' retracted to of furniture may be employed as an arm chair; ig. 3 is a view in front elevation ofthe chair, with the back secured in upright posi tion, but with the upper seat section extended; I V i 7 Y Fig. 4 is a view in perspective, showing a detail of construction; i a

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical, transverse sectional View showing another detailfof construction, the plane of section being indicated by the line 5'-5 of Fig. 1, and the direction of view by thearrows. 1 it In its broader conception,the chair of the present invention, comprisesamain and an auxiliary seat section, to one of which'a pair of opposed side members may hereinovably attache'dto permit ready disassemblyf The auxiliary seat section, and the back, which is normally held erect by being detachably secured to the side members, maybothbe extended into substantial {planar alignment with the main seat section, to yield an article of furniture which maybe employed as a couch or bed, there being provided means normally concealedwithin portions of the'chair, for supporting. the outermost edges ofthe extended portions. 1 a Y i Specifically describingxthe invention in its mostpractical embodiment ofwhich I am at presentaware, the chair comprises a main' seat section 11, and an auxiliary seatlsectiojn 12. Themainseat section ll'is composed. of longitudinally and transversely extending. frame members 13 and 14 respectively, and a plurality of coil springs 16 disposed inside: the space 17 boundedthereby, and supported upon any suitablespring supporting structure such as a sheet 18 of suitable fabric lit upper ends of the springs 16, pressing against the inner face of this sheet 19. i

The auxiliary seat section 12 1S similarly bolstering which is tacked or otherwise securely attached to the frame members 21 and 22, the edges of the upholstery 29 being ex tended far enough to cover and conceal the framework.

The seat. sections 11 and 12 are pivotally joined by hinges 31, each of which has a strap 3-2 connected to the forward transverse member 22 of the auxiliary seat section 12, and a strap 33' secured to the forward transverse frame member 1 1 of the main seat section 11.

Preferably the straps 32 extend for some distance beyond that face of the auxiliary seat section 12' which is lowermost when the portions of the chair are in the position indica-ted upon Fig. 2, i. e., when the article of furniture is in that arrangement in which it maybe employed as a chair. The purpose of this arrangement of the hinges 31, is to provide a space 34 between the main and aux- 4- iliary sea-t sections 11 and 12 respectively,

for the accommodation of a suitable pad or mattress 36* which is attached preferably to the auxiliary seat section 12, and is ofsufficient length to overlie the upper surface of the main seat section 11, as best shown upon Fig. 1. This pad or mattress 36 is adapted to be folded transversely when the auxiliary seat section 12 is superimposed upon the main seat section 11.

The transversely extending strip 41 is rigidly secured adjacent the lower edge of the transverse frame member 14 of the main sea section 1.1; and a secondtransverse strip 42 is pivoted thereto as by hinges 43. The strip 42 is slightly wider than the strip 41, so that when the strip 42 is hinged backwards and downwards, that edge 44. thereof, remote from its hinged edge, is disposed lowerthan the bot-tom edge of the strip i1.

The back 46, suitably provided with cushioning material 47 and upholstery 4-8, hinged to the edge 4 1 of the strip 42, as by hinges 49. This permits moving the ba'el: a6 to three: optional positions, to wit: erect, shown upon Fig. 2. under which circumstances, the article of furniture may be employed as a chair extended into substantial planar alignment with the main seat section 11, this position being indicated upon Fig. 1, and being that in which the article of furand lying against the under lure of the main seat section 11..

An apron 51., preferably of the same material as the upholstery 29 and 18, hangs loosely from the lower, after corner of the back 16, to conceal the. hinges .9 and 43; and another apron 5-2, hangs loosely from the auxiliary seat section 12, to conceal the hinges 31.

A. pair of opposed side members are provided. ll hile these side member. .:(3 may any suitable configuration, they are '8 Of herein shown as being fashioned with arms terminating at thei after en in portions 5862t11f1i11g upward; therefrom, the re of which is to impart to the assembled i. cle of furniture, the appearance of the c( l" '-.'entional Morris chair. PEef-QIEE JlY, the do 56 are also provided with one on- J 1 (not shown) and upholster 59 similar to that with which the other portic of the chair supplied; and each member 56 is provided with a front and a rear (31 and (52 respectively. The side members 56 are adapt sail to be removably attached in seat-supporting pos ion, through the expedient of a bar 63 corner of the main seat sec tending transve.....l v therefrom "he r posed end 64 of each bar 63, is provided with a hook-shaped portion opening down- "ards as clearly shown upon Fig 1. Each of the side members 56, proed with a pa r of slots 67 so proportioned, and arranged in registration with the bars 6?). that the end 6 1; of each. bar 63, is rcmovably receivable within one of the slots 67'. Furthermore, a suitable pin (")8 extends rigidly of the slots 67, to he engaged hooked. portion (56 of the as .11. v by first inserting the end 64 into ot 67 above the pin 68, and then lowering the seat section 11 to dispose the p n 68 within th" hook-shaped portion The bars 63 associated with the back of the chair, inst-ad of be? secured to the transverse frame member 1 1, are rigidly attached to t 1e hinged strip 4-2, with the result that when the chair is assembled with the side members 56 dis posed inseat-supporting p tion, these aft or bars (33, being confined i ciated slots (37. fi mly hold the bin 42 against movement out of that pos' -i which it is shown upon, Figs. 1 and 2. It will be readily under. ood howe er, when it is desired to ship or store the c! the side members 56 may readily be removed across ea ch. within the b elevatin. theses. sufiicientl 1 to displace the pins (38 from their HFSOCHrf-Ml hooks 6(2.

' leg 87 is pivoted as'by apin it the back 46 which may then be disposed in parallelism with, and bearing against the under face of the main seat'section 11. Thus the chair may be disassembled into three un- 7 its, each of which is very compact, and occupies a minimum of space, a feature of considerable importance, viewed from the standpoint of shipping or storing. I

Fig. 4 shows the method for removably attaching the back 46 to the side members 56, in erect position. A suitable eye 71 is rigid with, and extends from each side of the back 46; and a slot 72 is formed in the inner face of each of the side members 56 adjacent the after edge thereof, in registration with the associated eye 71, so that when the back 46 and the side members 56 are in the positions indicated upon Figs. 2 and 3, the eyes 71 will be disposedwithin the slots 72. A pin 73 is associated with each eye 71 and slot72, being vertically slidable within a suitable recess 74 in the associated side member 56. Each pin 7 3 is provided with a head 7 6 extending above the top of the associated side member 56, so that the head 7 6 may be grasped to elevate the pin 73. When in lowermost position, which is indicated upon Fig. 4, the pins 73 are adapted to project through their respective slots 72, so that when the eyes 71 are disposed within the slots 72, the back 46 may be releasably held in erect position by the engagement of the pins 73within the eyes Means for supporting the outermost edges of the auxiliary seat section 12 and the back 46, are provided. These supporting means are indicated in their entirety at 81 and 82 respectively, and sincethey both are of similar nature, it willbe necessary to describebut one of them. Each of these supporting means, comprises a recess 83defined by a tube 84 or its equivalent, extending lon gitudinally of the seat section 12 or back 46, as the case may be. A'bar 86 is slidably disposed within each of the recesses 83; and preferably both the bars and the recesses in which they are slidable, are non-circular in cross section, the purpose being to prevent rotation of the bars in respect to the members in which they are mounted. To the outer end of each of the bars 86, a supporting 88. These legs 87 extend through apertures 89 in the outer edge of the back or seatmember and each of the legs is of such length that when'bent downwards as indicated upon Fig. 1, the portion of the chair with which it is associated, may be supported thereby in substantially horizontal arrangement. An enlarged foot 91 is rigidly secured to the outer end of each of the legs 87 for the purpose of preventing damage to the surface upon which the support is disposed, and also to prevent the leg from being slipped completely inside the associated recess 83, it being understood that each of the recesses 83' is of sufficient length to accommodate both "the associated bar 86 and leg 87, when the leg 87 is swung into alignment with its associated bar-86.

The method of operation of the convertible indicated upon Fig. 2, wherein the auxiliary seat section 12, is superimposed upon the main seat sectionll, theside of theauxiliary seat Section 12, provided with, the pad 28, being disposed uppermost. Also, .the back 46 should be; fastened to the side member's 56, in erectjposition, through the expedient of the locking rods 7 3. l/Vhen so arranged, it will be found that the chair will providea very comfortable seat comparing favorably with theconventional Morris or arm chair, in respect to both comfort and appearance.

' 'When it is desired to employfthe article of furniture as a couch or bed, the locking pins .73 should be lifted, permitting disengage: ment of the eyes 71 therefrom, whereupon the back 46 may be lowered to horizontal position. To support the outerend of the back, the legs 87 should be extended therefrom and pivoteddownwards about the pins 88, so as 1.

to be disposed substantiallyvertically. The bars 86, being relatively closely fitted within the apertures 89, will be retained substantially horizontally with their outer ends pro-. jecting from the outer edge of the back 46,

and with the legs 87 extending vertically downwards therefrom. i

As clearly shown upon Fig. 1, the back 46,

when so positioned, will be in substantial planar alignment with the main seat section 11, but. slightly elevated therefrom, thus yielding a particularlycomfortable arrangement for reclining, inasmuchas the necessity of utilizing a pillow, is obviated.

The auxiliary seat section 12 should be pivoted upwards and forwards to the position indicated upon Fig. 1,,and its outer edge supported by its supporting means 81, as willreadily be understood.

When it is desired to store 'or ship the chair, or forany other reason reduce it to as compact an arrangement as possible, the side members 56 may readily be removed therefrom, as explained hereinabove'. After this has been accomplished, the hinged strip 42 may be pivoted backwards and downwards, and the back 46 disposed against the under face of the seat section 11. As alresult,,the

three units of the entire device, may be stored in a relatively small space, and may be handled with Very much more ease than would be the case if disassembly of the various units were not possible.

Various changes may be made in the details of the invention as herein described,

without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a chair, a seat comprising a main section and an auxiliary section liingedly joined for movement about an axis adjacent the forward upper edge of said main section, upholstery upon that side of said auxiliary section which is uppermost when said auxiliary section is superimposed upon said main section,

7 means for supporting the outer end of said auxiliary section when extended, a rigid strip extending transversely of said main seat section adjacent the after lower edge thereof a strip hinged to said rigid strip and adapted optionally to me superimposed thereupon or to be positioned therebehind, a hack hinged to said hinged strip and adapted optionally to be positioned erect or horizontally adjacent the under side of said main seat sect-ion, upholstery upon that face of said back which is proximal to the seat when the back is erect upholstered side members removably secured to said seat, and means for releasably securing said back to said side members in erect position.

2. In a folding chair a seat, a rigid strip extending transversely of said seat adjacent the after lower edge thereof, a strip hinged to said rigid strip and adapted optionally to be superimposed thereupon or positioned thereloehind and a back hinged to said hinged strip and adapted optionally to be positioned erect or horizontally against the under side of said seat.

In. testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

l/VOLF DRUYUN. 

